Shelter Island Editorial: Class all the way
They started off slowly, so slowly they had to wait for Mother Nature to cooperate.
The 2015 Shelter Island Bucks were rained out twice in a row to start the season, and then were inconsistent starting the campaign, only one game over .500 after 13 games.
But as Reporter sportswriter Brian Bingham noted in his coverage, the team came together and never looked back, taking the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League by storm, notching the most wins by a team in HCBL history.
The playoffs were the same, ending with a sweep of Westhampton and bringing home the first league championship to the Island.
The season had some bumps, with ejections and suspensions and an umpire relieved of his duties for his actions during a Bucks game. But the team rallied and showed class, and made the Island proud.
We’re lucky to have witnessed such a fine season of baseball this summer from our hometown team. But we’re also fortunate to have witnessed the leadership, and again, class from General Manager Dave Gurney. He was the strong rudder that guided the team over rough patches and kept the reputation of the Bucks as a first class operation intact and in fine form for the future.
We’re indebted to the Bucks players and coaches, the loyal fans and especially the host families who took in a player or players so they could live on the Island for the season.
Thanks for the memories. We’re ready to cheer you on, defending your championship in 2016.
When the power went out
The wild storm that rushed through and over the Island Tuesday morning was a strange one, with a delayed reaction of several hours before a power outage knocked out electricity for most of the Island.
But our first responders were on the streets and roads from the beginning, clearing roads of fallen trees and limbs and controlling traffic quickly and efficiently.
Island residents also owe a particular debt of gratitude to Police Chief Jim Read, who is the emergency management coordinator for the Island, Commissioner of Public Works Jay Card Jr., and Town Engineer John Cronin, who managed and pursued Federal Emergency Management Agency grants to bring in new power generators and install them at vital town headquarters.
